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MG TD TF 1500 - original tools

Hello all - I recently purchased a few tools from a known vendor and I'm now questioning if what I bought is really correct. The pliers are not marked 'King Dick' nor is one of the tube spanners. I think I did read on a post that NOT all spanners were marked. What about the pliers? There are numbers on each of the handles, one is G2 and the other is F10. Can anyone with known originals give me additional details or better yet some pics of them PLEASE. TIA FOG
FOG Frank

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_tools.htm
MG LaVerne

Many thanks LaVerne. I've never seen this before, almost says it all. The pliers I got are bogus for sure, not even close. There is nothing written about 'King Dick' missing from the tube spanners, so I still don't know what if fact and what isn't. I've got to save this one for sure. Thanks again. FOG
FOG Frank

I picked up the remnants of an MG toolkit recently and here are some pictures


Willem van der Veer

and another one

Willem van der Veer

Willem's pliers are correct. Note the combination of polished finish and black paint finish. I think Shelley also supplied these. The pliers often go missing due to their many uses.
I would be wary of any of any unstamped tube spanners.
You can see my TF kit in LaVerne's link.

Matthew.
M Magilton

My understanding is King Dick & Shelley were the principal suppliers of the hand tools for the TD & TF such as the jack, pliers, F wrench, screwdriver, hammer, flat & tube spanners. However there were other suppliers whose tools such as the hammer, pliers, spanners & Tommy bar were unbranded. Dunlop made the tyre levers & the valve tool. Sutty & Shelley made the tyre pump & these may also have been supplied by an unbranded maker. Enots (Stone backwards) made one of the grease guns as did Tecalemit who supplied the GC 3000 & the Plastigun. Lockheed supplied the brake bleeding tin. Lucas provided the points tool. King Dick (& perhaps others) supplied either the 12 thou or 19 thou feeler gauge. The cylinder head & tappet spanner were (generally) unbranded except for the notation SK.118Z on the tappet spanner. The TF knock off hammer was made by Thor. The TD & TF tool rolls were originally made in bituminous hessian secured with a leather strap & skate buckle.

It's difficult if not impossible now to be dogmatic about what was or wasn't provided by the various makers. For example, Willem's image of the King Dick spanner above is one I'd not seen before. Attached is a pic I took of a TF tool kit which was in the possession of a TF original owner & was supplied with his car. The tools are all original except for the canvas roll as the hessian one disintegrated many years ago. The original leather strap is shown. (This TF & kit is now with its second owner).

FOG I'm emailing you a document that I'm compiling, albeit incomplete, on T Type tool kits which may assist you in gathering the correct tools. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

The tools weren't necessarily consistent from car to car either, since the assembly line would not be held up because of a missing spanner. If the spanner manufacturer was out of an item, Abingdon would simply substitute another.
Steve Simmons

Peter, I would love to have a copy of what you have compiled so far. lvb@windstream.net
FOG, don't know who sold you the tools, but I would contact them and ask for a refund or exchange. Since you were given the wrong pliars, I would be glad to send you a pair free, or maybe I could drop them off at the MG tent at Hershey if you will be attending.
Larry Brown

Hi Larry. You have mail. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Peter, many thanks. Larry
Larry Brown

Here's a picture of my 'set', probably from a Y-type, but could also come from a TD.

Could the canvas roll be the original? The leather straps are so brittle that they break on touching them...

The screwdrivers (sans wood) have a V-shaped form in the handle, is that common?
The small screwdriver isn't original, but the seller threw it in as a bonus.

Willem van der Veer

Willem your roll looks just like the original one that was supplied with the TC & so may well have come from a Y, as their production overlapped & were supposedly made from the soft top offcuts. Though of slightly different lengths the 9 1/2" screwdrivers look original with the V at the end of the handle. I have a few examples with Shelley stamped into the shaft & I've also seen some without a brand. Your missing timber inserts can be fairly easily made from a slightly oversized rectangular piece of wood shaped with a Stanley knife, sanded & glued into position with an exterior grade PVA. I used a rare local cabinet timber, Australian Red Cedar & finished with a coat of varnish. I don't know what the timber was originally. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Great set Willem! Get some saddle wax or clear nugget into the leather. Use the Y type owners handbook illustration to start acquiring the missing items. Do you have the tyre pump?

Matthew.
M Magilton

This thread was discussed between 15/09/2015 and 18/09/2015

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